


Let's Burn Christmas

by Elverith



Category: Eddsworld - All Media Types
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Holidays, Implied/Referenced Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:35:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21958228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elverith/pseuds/Elverith
Summary: Tord gets an unexpected invitation for Christmas, and when he follows through on it he is sorely disappointed. What he didn't expect was that, of all people, Tom was the one who could pick up the pieces in the end.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 28





	Let's Burn Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Heyyyyy so this is a really short one shot I wrote a few years back when I was in the thick of my eddsworld obsession and still one of my fave one shots I've written to date! Its sort of based off an RP that I did with a very close friend of mine and I just needed it somewhere I wasn't going to lose it or forget. I tried to keep Tom as close to how my friend writes him as possible. Theres also a lot of my personal headcanon backstory references for Tord, so what happens with him is very specific to my universe/headcanon/etc. for him.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this little window into the Eddsworld boys at the holidays ^_^

Tord’s gaze was fixed on the Christmas card in his hands, his gray eyes were pensive and filled with sadness. His eyebrow twitched. He hadn’t expected anything like this Not from….. them. How had they even found the address and why would they use that information for such a passive move. He didn’t like it. Something was wrong but there would be no way to find out unless he accepted the invitation. 

“Tord?” Edd’s voice drifted over the back of the sofa. “Tooord!”

“Hm?” He glances up and shoved the card into the front pocket of his hoodie.

“What are you doing for Christmas?” Edd smiled at him, a piece of brown hair falling over his eyes. “Matt is busy, I’m going home, Tom is….”

“Going to drink away the existence of the holiday and burn everything in sight.” Tom interjected from across the room without even glancing up from his book on the history of Ska music.

“Going to do that…” Edd sighed, “you know maybe you’d like the holiday if you tried. Anyways, are you going to be in the house?”

“Oh. No… a...a friend is picking me up, I have…” he glanced away from Edd, unable to meet his eyes as he left out as much of the truth as possible, “dinner plans with family.”

“That’s great!! You never talk about them… haha didn’t even think you had a family.” Edd laughed.

“Yeah. Everyone does.” He felt the card in his pocket.

“Not everyone.” At this Tom DID look up, his black void eyes looked annoyed at Edd.

“Ah! Sorry Tom!! I didn’t mean to… I just meant that I guess we all thought they were in Norway and….” He felt his face get warm. For some reason he just never said the right thing around those two.

“Tch. Just forget it. I’ll be gone the whole day. Probably day after as well.” He could take the opportunity to check in on Paul and Patryk at the base, maybe get some work done.

Tom looked over at Tord and scowled deeper, “good then I won’t have to see your ugly ass face the whole day. Can burn shit in peace.”

Tord rolled his eyes and chose to ignore the pointed commentary. “Is this interrogation done or do I have to stay in the same room with the piece of rotten pineapple flesh?”

“Tord…..” Edd glanced at him nervously.

“OH REALLY. Well maybe I’ll leave. Because I don’t want to be in the same room with a commie bastard who probably had a 50 pence hooker for a mother!!!” Tom growled and jumped up.

Tord jumped up and grabbed the front of Toms sweatshirt, “F*CK OFF BOWLING BALL BITCH!!” He shoved tom roughly so he hit the wall.

“TORD!!” Edd jumped up and grabbed his shoulder, “Tord stop! Tom stepped out of line. Come on… we talked about this…”

A growl rumbled from Tord’s throat and his hands clenched into fists. “Don’t. You. EVER. Talk. About. My. Mother. Again.” He shrugged off Edd’s hand and stomped to his room, slamming the door behind him as loud as possible. 

“Tom.” Edd turned and looked at the other, “did you HAVE to?”

“He started it!! I can’t believe you let that walking, breathing, eating, shitting atomic missile live in our home! He’s going to lose it one day and someone could die! Just last week he tried to slam my arm in the door for stealing a gun!” Tom glared at Edd. He hated this. He shouldn’t have to live with someone who regularly put his life in danger.

“Why’d you try to steal one of his guns?!”

“That’s…. not important.” He was going to try and pawn it for cash. Rent had to be made somehow. He looked away from Edd, “fine. I’ll… try to not… egg him on.” He rolled his eyes.

“Thank you. Are you hurt?” He stepped towards Tom and checked him over quickly. 

“No. I’m going to my room.” He pulled his flask from his back pocket and emptied it into his mouth, “just thinking about the damn holiday makes me want to destroy shit.”

Edd opened his mouth to respond as Tom left but stopped himself. Why couldn’t they just get along? He sighed. It always got so tense around the house when Matt left to visit his parents up north. Everything lost its balance… “merry Christmas guys…”

————-

Christmas Day arrived with a few inches of snow and a feeling of unease over the house. Edd slid Christmas cards under all their doors before he left in a flurry to catch the tube. Tom stayed in his room and drank. Tord spent most of the morning pacing around the house in his “69 Hentai” T-shirt and socks and sweatpants.

He was unsettled. Paul had told him it was a bad idea. He was starting to agree. But it was too late to back out now. He downed his third coffee that hour. It was almost noon, he’d have to get changed and…. well, it had been years since he’d last worn it. 

With a final swing of coffee he turned on one heel and headed down the hall to his room. He passed Toms room and heard maniacal laughter and smelled smoke. What a psycho. “I hope you burn your face off, asshole.” He muttered to himself.

He went into his room, closing the door behind him. A low hum came from his workbench where a prototype of a robot sat surrounded by tools and small springs and screws, the other half of the room was his bed and a shelf covered in figures on anime girls and books labeled “18+”. He pushed past both and went straight for the closet, pulling out a dusty garment bag containing a black suit.

Tord sighed and unzipped the bag pulling out the hanger And tossing the bag to the side. “Never thought this would ever be useful.” He changed quickly, and looked into his mirror as he buttoned up a bright red vest and clipped small gold hammer and sickle cufflinks onto his sleeves. He looked ridiculous. He’d never liked this sort of formal wear. Almost never wore it. But… of course the invitation had clearly stated “black tie”. Then again, so wasnt everything with his family. 

There was a buzz from the workbench as his phone went off, Paul was out front. He took in a shaky breath, grabbed the Christmas card and his coat, then stepped out into the hallway almost running over tom.

“H-hey… waasssh where you’re goinnng….”

Tom stumbled into the wall, a half empty bottle in his hand. He sniffed, “damn, you almost shmell humann… h-hot date?” He smirked and stepped forward invading Tord’s space, his breath reeking of alcohol.

“Oh piss off you drunken piece of shit.” He shoved past tom, his patience for Tom’s behavior was almost non-existent. 

“HEY. Watch who you’re… c-calling a piece of sh-shit…..” Tom scowled and watched Tord’s back. 

“I don’t have time to deal with your spewing gibberish right now, assface.” He went straight for the front door. “How about this year you light yourself on fire so I don’t have to ever see you again?”

“Screw you asshole!” Tom threw his bottle at Tord, missed by a wide margin and it smashed against the wall next to the front door.

Tord didn’t even flinch. “Merry Christmas you damn Jehovah’s Witness. Go die.” He threw the door open and stepped out, slamming the door shut behind him. 

He spotted Paul’s car and walked towards it. The polish man tapped his steering wheel impatiently and glanced up and down the street. Tord smiles as he saw his old friend, he waved, catching the others attention.

Paul frowned then surprise crosses his face as Tord climbed in. “Tord?! Is that you?! I would have never recognized you in that… that monkey suit!!”

“Ah, shut up. And don’t get used to it. I’d happily trade it in for my fatigues any day.” He said trying to be funny, but his face wasn’t convincing.

“Hey…. before we head out… are you sure you want to go through with this? He could be….” Paul glanced at him sideways.

Tord set his jaw and stared forward. “I know. But he said he just wanted to talk. And it’s not like it will just be the two of us anyways.”

“Not that I’m one to judge...but it’s not like you left on good terms.” Paul started to drive down the street, “why did you want to go anyways?”

“Because maybe he’s ready to finally…. maybe he’ll….”

“Apologize?” Paul glanced at him, “Tord…. I know you want closure but I don’t think this is how you’ll get it.”

“Stay out of my business. I just asked for a ride not a lecture.” He glared at Paul, annoyed. “Look. You have your job. Just do it!” He didn’t want to yell at Paul, but hearing how bad an idea this was? No one was allowed to question him. Not even Paul. 

—————

They drove in silence to the center of London. The city was still bustling and busy in spite of the holiday. People walking around with their families, the glow of lights on the icy streets and shop windows, and the smell of pine needles and evergreen branches draped in red ribbons. It all looked so… garishly happy. 

“I’ll let you off here, the restaurant is just around the corner. I think you know why it would be...unwise for me to be seen.” Paul pulled to the side of the road and unlocked the doors.

“Yeah. I’ll call when it’s time to head back.” Tord hesitated, hand hovering over the handle.

“Hey. It’ll be fine. It’s just a talk.” Paul smiled encouragingly.

“Yeah. Fine….” Tord smiled back weakly then climbed out of the car. “I’ll call you later.” 

He waved at Paul as he drove off then headed down the sidewalk towards the restaurant. He stood outside for a moment, the chilly December wind ruffling his hair and making the two horned cowlicks lean forward. Maybe… maybe everything would end up alright afterall. 

He refocused and walked toward the orange glow of the restaurant coming out of the windows onto the street. It looked expensive. A door man welcomed him as he stepped inside, heat and the smell of cooking meat hit his face. 

He went up to the front and asked for the reservation. A waiter came and walked him to the back room, it was separated from the rest of the space by thick velvet curtains tied back with gold ropes. He stepped into the space, tension twisting his stomach into knots. 

“Tord. Good to see you again. Glad to see you haven’t lost your sense of propriety.” An older man who looked about 60 with a handsome chiseled face and strong features looked up as he entered. He didn’t smile, just gestures at an empty chair across from him and next to an older woman who looked like she’d had too much Botox but was lavishly dressed.

“Father.” Tord swallowed nervously and moved to sit. He glanced at the woman quickly and then refocused on the man.

“Now,” Tord’s father cleared his throat as the appetizer was brought in, “let’s talk.”

———-

Tom threw another gift onto the bonfire. It burst into flames quickly as the paper lit and the bow crumpled in on itself. He laughed and took another sip from his flask. “Scrooge you. Haha.” He laughed at his own joke. 

There was a Christmas tree in the center of the blazing inferno, flames reaching almost 20 feet in the air, snow melting all around the back yard of the house. There was a small pile of stolen gifts and Christmas crackers tom was using to feed the flames. 

“F*ck this Damn holiday.” He threw on another package. “And everything to do with it.” 

He heard a car door slam and then an engine drive off into the night. It was almost eleven, no one should be home yet… he frowned and went in the back door quietly. All the house lights were off. He snuck towards the front door then froze as he saw a sillouhette in the darkness.

Tom breathed in and leapt at it, feeling the form collapse under and hit the floor with grunt.

“WHAT THE F*CK!” 

“Shit! Tord!” Tom scrambled to get off and switch a lamp on. As the light filled the doorway he saw his housemate slowly sitting up and wincing, black eye, split lip, cuts on his face, and unnerving red chafing on one of his wrists staining one of his cuffs with blood. 

Tord coughed wheezed as he slowly picked himself up off the floor, “what the hell is wrong with you!?” He glared at tom with red puffy eyes.

“You weren’t supposed to be back until tomorrow! I thought you were breaking in!” He squinted at the injuries, “what get into a fight?”

“F*ck off” Tord pushed past Tom to get to his room. 

“What were mommy and daddy not happy to see their precious baby boy?” He smirked “hows it feel to be a disappointment to.. whoever they are?”

Tord froze. His body went rigid and his hand curled into a fist. “Shut. Up.” 

“Usually cheap hookers aren’t that easy to please. Couldn’t you just pay her? Or maybe she was just sad to see how ugly you turned out and now you can’t join the family business!” He followed behind Tord, taunting him as he moved into the hallway.

“I SAID SHUT UP YOU BASTARD!!!” He whipped around and glared at tom.

“Pfft really? Takes one to know one!”

Tord grabbed the front of Toms sweatshirt, snarling. He glared down at tom, eye throbbing, cuts stinging. Then his eyes got distant and Toms hoodie slipped out of his hands. What was the point. People didn’t change. 

Tom smirked and took the advantage, slamming a fist into Tord’s ribs, watching him crumple

Forward and hit the wall. “What not feeling like a fight today? Just gonna roll over?”

Toms voice sounded far away as Tord straightened up as best he could, “can’t you just...piss off today? Just this once.” He winced painfully and held his side.

Toms fist unclenched and his snarl turned to confusion, “what’s wrong with you? You’re not…. “

“F*ck you. F*ck this holiday. F*ck people. F*CK EVERYTHING!!!”

“What…. Tord, what happened?” Tom stepped forward and reached over to help Tord steady himself. “Holy shit… what happened…?”

“N-nothing. It’s, it’s nothing.” He leaned against tom and held his side with the other arm. “I just… I just want alcohol. Need to forget. Everything. How much do I need to drink for that?”

Tom smiled sideways, “Hey, you came to the right place. Come on.” He lead Tord through the kitchen and out the back door to the blazing bonfire. Tom had moved at least twenty bottles of Smirnoff to the backyard for the evening and he helped Tord to sit on a box on the ground next to the bottles. “Drink up commie.”

Tord grabbed a bottle and unscrewed it, chugging at least half of it before pausing to breath and look at the fire. “Never been so happy to have a drink before in my life.” 

“You wanna talk about it?” Tom sat next to him and opened another bottle.

“Not drunk enough for that yet.” He started chugging Smirnoff again.

Tom nodded. This wasn’t like Tord. He’d never seen him so…. down? Depressed? Upset? He had been convinced that Tord was only capable of feeling anger, aggression, and...well, anything violent. 

One bottle done. Tord threw it at the fire and it shattered against the tree. He grabbed another. “I just…. What is it about this damn holiday that makes everybody so f*cking ready to be happy. Is it the lights? Are the trees drugged with endorphins that make everyone go crazy?”

“Heh. Who knows. Holiday is a damn joke anyways. It all needs to just burn.” He picked up a small present and tossed it into the fire watching it ignite. 

“It does. All of it. And everyone that likes all this shit.” He started chugging the second bottle. 

“Never thought we’d ever agree on anything. You must have seen some shit.” He looked down at the ground almost nervous to ask, “the fight… you win?”

Tord stopped drinking and looked at tom, “I’m here aren’t I?”

All tom did was shrug in response, “would burning shit help you feel better? I’ve got lots of gifts to get through and not much time to do it in.”

“Heh. Maybe.” He smiled sideways at tom. “Get me a big one.”

Tom tossed a large box wrapped in blue snowman paper at Tord. “Go crazy you commie bastard.”

Tord finished his second bottle and stood shakily, the vodka starting to hit his system. He grabbed the box and dropkicked it into the bonfire, watching it burst into flames. “TAKE THAT YOU FESTIVE ASSHOLES!!”

“LET IT BURN!!!” Tom launched a full bottle of vodka into the fire and the flames shot up and extra foot. He threw himself onto the ground next to Tord. He looked over at the other and saw a Christmas card in his hands, “what’s that?”

There was a long pause as Tord stared down at the card. “From my parents. They ah… wanted to get together today.” He grabbed another bottle and started sipping this one slowly. “Just wanted to say hello and merry christmas and all that shit. F*cking liars.”

“I thought they were in Norway….?” Tom looked over confused. “You kinda always acted like they didn’t exist.”

“Yeah. They live there. In London on business. And ah… I dont know how they found the address here. But they did.” He avoided eye contact with Tom and kept staring down at the card. “I thought they’d want to make things right after all the…. after what happened.”

Tom bit back the urge to ask what Tord was talking about. He never talked about his past. All anyone in the house knew about Tord was that he was quiet, violent, into weird anime shit, and from Norway. “Did they want to hurt you?”

“Arrest actually.” His hand started to crumple the card, “it started out well, we caught up. Father was still an asshole. Mother still a brainless bitch. They asked if I liked London, the country, if I was meeting people… dumb shit. And… then he said I was going back.” He squeezed tightly and the card was crushed, “they said go quietly with them or I’d go by force.”

“Back to Norway?”

“Yeah… and I can’t I can’t go back there. Not with them. Not to just get shoved into another...nevermind. I said no. He must have figured I would… the police showed up almost instantly. And body guards. They only got one hand cuffed to the chair.”

“Hold on.” Tom looked at him unbelieving, “you were surrounded by cops and trained bodyguards with one hand cuffed to a chair, and you still managed to get out of the room and back here?”

“Yeah. It’s not that hard. Two cuffed hands would have been worse.” He looked at tom and took another long Drink, “I got away. Managed to lose them, and got a cab back here.”

“So… the police beat you?”

“No, that’s illegal and would cause an international incident. I’m not a citizen here, tom. That was mostly…..” he took another drink, halfway through his fourth bottle, alcohol was making the world fuzzy, “damn dad hits just like he used to.” He lost balance and fell sideways against tom. “F*cking hurts…. I swear he wears all those rings just cuz they hurt more.”

Tom was quiet for a long time. He barely considered Tord to be a friend. Ha was hardly an acquaintance. They fought constantly, bickered incessantly, and avoided each other. But no one. Not one damn person was allowed to hit Tord but him. “Tord…. I… I’m sorry…. I didn’t…” everything he’d said about Tord’s parents was making him feel guilty. “Your mom… how did she….?”

“That bitch isn’t my mom. She’s just a dumb bitch...my mom is dead.”

Dammit. “Oh… shit… I….” Tom finished his bottle and threw it in the fire.

“It’s ok. I never met her.” He finished his bottle and tried to throw it like he saw Tom do but instead the bottle flew backwards out of his hand and smashed against the side of the house. 

Tom sighed, “Hey…I know Christmas sucks and the holidays are shit…”

“Worse than shit.”

“Heh, yeah. Well….” he reached over and grabbed one of the presents and handed it to Tord, “I got this. Just for you.” He laughed slightly, “merry shitmas.”

Tord looked down at it, the wrinkled remains of the card falling from his hands as he pulled the wrapping paper off. He couldn’t help but smile when he saw the contents: a blue knitted sweater. “Couldn’t have bought something better.” He pulled off the blazer and the vest then pulled the sweater on. “It’s perfect.” He kept leaning against Tom, vision going in and out of focus.

“Yeah….” he couldn’t help but notice the dark red bloodstains that had been visible on tords shirt. Just how much of a beating had he taken?! “Maybe you should get some rest?”

“No...wait… I haven’t gotten you anything yet….” he sat up and reached over picking a small red box off the pile and handing it to tom. “This one is yours…. merry shitmas….”

“Thanks…” tom Tore it open to find a small jewelry box. He lifted the lid to reveal two large diamond earrings on the most ostentatious settings imaginable. He stifled a laugh, “thanks Tord. But this might be too much for one person.” He took one of the earrings out and put it in Tord’s hand, “keep it, I’ll keep the other one. We remember the best shitmas ever.” He put the earring in so he wouldn’t lose it.

Tord’s hand closed around the earring and his eyes closed. The alcohol making his head swim, “thanks…..tom…. for everything…..” he didn’t notice tears dripping off his face.

Tom wrapped an arm around Tord, “you need to get to bed before you pass out.” He stood and lifted Tord to his feet, half leading half dragging him back into the house and down the hall.

“Tom you’re the best, do you know that?” He smiled at him and winced. 

“Yep. Yeah, I’m sure. You’re so drunk you’d say matt is the best person ever and we both know that’s a lie.” He pulled Tord into his room and laid him on his bed. “Sleep well Tord. Merry Christmas….” he stepped out and closed the door softly behind him. He headed back out to the bonfire and picked up the rumpled Christmas card. Tom opened it and read the inside: 

“Dear Tord, 

it’s been many years since we’ve seen you. I’d like to put our past behind us. Should things go well we have a place for you in our home. Your mother misses you. I ask that you join us for dinner on Christmas. We will be in London for that week for a meeting with the Queen. Perhaps dinner at Alain Ducasse? We look forward to hearing from you. 

Regards,

Your father”

Tom felt anger welling up inside him again. They’d lied to Tord. Lied and used his trust and….whatever else. He shoved the card in his pocket and went back into the house, grabbing a shovel on his way. He went into his room. Whatever asshole felt like he could treat his kid that way and then see the Queen? No. He wouldn’t let this slide. And when Tord woke up? All his problems would be solved. 

He sat on his bed and thought, the light from the bonfire bounced off his walls and cast yellow-orange shadows in every corner. He hadn’t expected it to be, but it was a good Christmas. Maybe because his nemesis was human afterall? Because of his new earring? Because he wasn’t the only one that hated it? Whatever the reason, he never wanted to forget that night.


End file.
